Senior pictures, 2017 edition

Nothing holds a memory better than a picture, and for seniors, no memory is more important to hold than the ones they’re making right now, during their last year in high school. For seniors at Starmount High School, a perfect chance came Aug. 30 and 31. Senior pictures are a long-awaited rite of passage, the first event to set seniors apart from the underclassmen. It’s a widely celebrated ordeal of primping and polishing for the perfect picture to capture one’s self in his or her last year as a Ram.

This year, the photographers were assisted by members of the yearbook staff, Alyssa Hicks and Claire Maske. It was their responsibility to prepare each senior in the traditional velvet drape and velcro tuxedo. As a Prom Pro at Southern Bride, Hicks was well prepared for the rushed procedures of dressing her fellow students. “It felt like I was back at the dress shop,” Hicks said. “It really made me happy I get to be so involved in the fashion industry even though I’m so young.”

Hicks hopes to pursue a career in fashion one day, her biggest idol being that of Sherri Hill. “I got the most enjoyment from seeing all my friends dressed up in the drape and tux,” Hicks admitted.

Every senior girl was dressed in a velvety black off-the-shoulder drape. The sophisticated style symbolizes the maturity they have gained in their four years at Starmount. The string of iridescent pearls stood for the innocence they still carry with them as they grow into young adults and brave the world after high school.

For the boys, there was a different ensemble of clothes. Hicks and Maske worked together to dress the boys in a velcro white shirt, a clip-on bow tie, and a snazzy tuxedo jacket. Once the girls had finished, they both agreed that “the boys looked ready to go to prom.”

Maske shared, “It was really great to see the guys we’ve known for over four years dressed so maturely. We’ve all been friends since seventh grade, but seeing them like this really showed how much they’ve grown over the years.”

The tuxedo helps to signify the gentlemanly manners they’ve learned as Rams. Growing up in Starmount has taught them things like respect and the importance of hardwork, things they will need to know as they move on in their lives.

“We’ve all come a really long way together,” Maske stated.

As the editor of the yearbook, it was Maske’s job to make sure the pictures went smoothly and would be ready to put in the Ram yearbook.

As it’s the 50th edition to be printed, Maske strives to make it even better than the ones from years before. “She’s been working really hard on it. I promise it’s going to be a good one,” Hicks assured her fellow seniors.

She encouraged them to prepare for every day as if it was picture day. “Think of the school as a runway for you to show off all your different styles,” Hicks suggested. “You never know when one of the yearbook members might need to snap a candid photo.”

When it came time for the girls to take their own senior pictures they took turns helping each other into the traditional black drape and pearls. After it was over, they excitedly announced, “It felt good to wear it. It really made senior year real.”

As the year goes on, one can only hope that the class of 2017 will keep up all their hard work and resist the temptation to give in to the alleged senioritis.

Christy Rucker is a member of the Starmount High School Journalism Club.